Ottawa’s most trusted and reliable moving company
This will depend on when you are moving and the size of the move which determines the size of the crew.
Our base rates are $55 per hour for a truck (including equipment, fuel, insurance) and $60 per hour per mover. For example, the rate for a crew of 2 movers and a truck would be $175 per hour at our base rates.
Typically, we would recommend a crew of 2 movers and a truck for moves smaller than a 1.5 bedroom apartment. We would recommend 3 movers and a truck for moving a 2-3 bedroom apartment or house.
Larger moves may require multiple trucks and/or trailers.
As we only use full-time employees (no part-timers or day labour), we always try to put enough movers on the crew to get the job done in less than an 8-hour day. This is done to be fair to our employees since they have to work the next morning and some have families to get home to. It is also better for the customer since they are paying by the hour and get less value for their money the longer the day goes. Minimum charges are figured on a case by case basis.
Stress-free moves start with a thorough process that provides you with a transparent estimate at the time without any hidden costs.
We will be available to provide advice, answer questions, and help you find solutions during the entire moving process, ensuring a hassle-free move from start to finish.
We are committed to providing you with exceptional service. We aren’t happy unless you’re happy, which is why we guarantee great service.
** All rates include $1,000,000 Replacement-Value Insurance (Less than 1% of moving companies offer this) **
Rates increase during peak periods including Fridays, Saturdays, and month-end. We are closed for all statutory holidays and most holiday long weekends.
Local Moves – Add 1-hour charge for travel time at the contracted rate unless otherwise stated. This charge covers the cost of the crew travelling to the place of origin and back to the office from the destination (30 minutes each way). This charge will be higher when travelling to or from outlying cities or towns.
Local Long Distance Moves – For moves within Ontario with at least one address that is more than 100 kilometers outside of Ottawa, there will be a flat rate travel charge which includes driving time, mileage, and fuel, as well as food and lodging. This is a very reliable way to get an estimate for an out of town move as the only variable remaining is the labour to load and unload the truck. There are no surprises like fuel surcharges or charges for being over the estimated weight (very common in the moving industry).
All full-service local moves include $1,000,000 of full replacement-value cargo insurance coverage (see details). Only the very best moving companies can afford the risk of offering this kind of coverage. Most moving companies can only provide basic insurance coverage of 0.60 per pound or pseudo-insurance policies such as protection plans or valuation coverage due to higher rates/risks of damage.
The relocation of over-sized, over-weight, or high-risk items such as pianos, pool tables, and large aquariums will usually be subject to surcharges, especially where stairs are involved. Surcharges will also apply in cases where entranceways and stairwells are too small to allow passage and furniture must be hoisted up the outside of the building to upper levels. These surcharges are to cover the increased risks on our insurance and on our employees.
Sometimes the contents of the home must be stored in the truck overnight. This can occur when the closing on a new home is delayed and the crew can’t unload at the new location until the following day. In such cases, overnight storage equal to one hour at the contracted rate will be charged to cover the increased risk on our insurance. An additional travel charge for the second day would also apply.
WE DO NOT ACCEPT CASH. The Driver will accept payment by debit or credit card upon completion of the move. Full receipts will be provided. Invoicing is available at 30-day terms to government departments or for contracted / ongoing services provided to corporate clients. At their discretion, drivers may request payment before unloading the truck in situations where they feel there could be an issue receiving payment. This option is usually only exercised when loading rental trucks or self-storage units as we may never see such clients again.
An administrative fee of $200 is charged for booking local moves or $500 for booking long-distance moves (any move starting or ending more than 100km from Ottawa City Hall). This fee covers costs associated with scheduling your move as well as any discounts or special pricing that may have been offered to other parties based on your commitment to using our services (ie. Consolidated/back-haul moves). It will be applied as a credit against your final bill for moving services but is non-refundable and will be forfeited should you choose to cancel or postpone your scheduled move date. An additional cancellation fee equal to half of the minimum charge will apply should you cancel/postpone your booking within 15 days of your scheduled move date or the full minimum charge if cancellation is made within 72 hours of the scheduled start time of the move. Cancellation fees may be fully or partially waived, at the discretion of management, in cases where the customer is rescheduling their move for a later date. Any request to cancel or postpone a booking must be made by email. We will not accept requests to alter or cancel a booking over the phone.
341+ Reviews
“Thank you Matt for helping us schedule a last minute move. Everything about this company is up-front, professional and service oriented. You get a detailed written estimate and know what to expect. The moving team of Aaron and Jesse are experienced and professional. They were efficient, courteous, responsible and responsive to questions and requests. They disassemble, reassemble and place the furniture at your new destination. I highly recommend First Rate Movers to do your moving. We will definitely use them again . Thank you First Rate Movers for the smooth move!”
Ginette Thomas
“We have only great things to say about First Rate Movers! They’re the best movers we’ve ever worked with! The team is super fast, professional and organized. If you’re looking to hire a moving company that will handle your belongings with care, the choice is easy, go with First Rate Movers. We’re happy we chose them. Matt is really dedicated to handling any questions or concerns. If we could give a higher rating than 5 stars, we would! Thanks so much for helping us move!”
Domenico Patulli
“Great service. The 2 guys showed up on time and moved very efficiently! We were very happy we went with First Rate Movers this time around. It made our lives easy and the owner Matt was able to squeeze us into their schedule during one of the busiest times of the year. He was very up front and transparent with the cost and what it all included. Nothing broken, nothing missing and they made sure not to damage a thing! Thank you!”
Hannah Mitchell
“The team of Wes, Rob and Adam moved us and they were professional, personable and fun. They were tireless, took an interest and paid outstanding attention to detail. They truly are moving professionals and it showed within minutes of them beginning their work. If we could ever bear the thought of moving again we would 100 percent use First Rate Movers. We would totally recommend this company.”
Oona Woods
“I was really impressed with every aspect of this company from the first phone discussion on the estimate right the way through to saying goodbye to our moving team. It was clear I was talking to people that knew their stuff and for whom integrity was important. They wanted to deliver an excellent service with no surprises. They did just that!”
Brendan Nolan
“Absolutely amazing. From the first call with the owner, to the actual moving day, the experience was great. Information and quote were accurate, there were calls prior to moving day to double check everything, and then moving day was the smoothest move day we’ve had. Cody, Courtney, and Francis were super quick and efficient and did an amazing job. They first did a quick review of what needed to be moved, and then got to wrapping and getting it all in the truck. We were shocked how quickly and how much they were able to move in a short amount of time. They went above and beyond with our appliances. And there was no damage to anything! Great job!!”
Maura Rubio
“Everyone we interacted with was amazingly professional and kind. Our items were handled with extreme care and the movers were quick, friendly and efficient. Thank you for helping us through what could have been a scary move between two cities. The price was great and the service was even better. Can’t thank everyone at First Rate enough!”
Trevor Harris
“Great experience from start to finish. Matt was very helpful and responsive to our questions when booking. And our crew on moving day, Wes, Zach and Cody, were the kindest, hardest working movers ever. Professionnels all around. We had some tricky pieces to move and they problem solved it and got them in! They also communicated with us throughout the move to make sure they had not missed anything and, once we were at our new house, that everything was where we wanted it. We highly recommend them and will use First rates movers again.”
Emma B.
“Would recommend this moving company! My sister used them for her move from Toronto to Ottawa, and was very impressed. So we called and booked them for our move from apartment to town house and they were super friendly, efficient, and did a fantastic job moving everything!”
Joanna Lynch
“Nothing but praise for the team that came moving day! They arrived early, with encouraging smiles and respectful introductions. They carefully wrapped, carried and loaded quickly and skillfully,
paying particular attention to fragile artwork.
After a short lunch break, they unloaded and placed all items as requested and the whole move was completed well within the shortest estimated time. I couldn’t have been happier with their service!”
Mary Sylvester
“First Rate is right. Aaron and Zach were quick, professional, and courteous. They were an hour early, and able to complete the job with time to spare. Would not hesitate to recommend First Rate to anybody looking for movers.“
Xiaoli Li
“Just finished a move from Toronto to Ottawa by *** * ***, couldn’t be happier with how smoothly the entire process from booking to moving and unloading went. Amazing crew!! Having had awful experiences with moving companies in the past (price gouging, wasting time, damaging furniture) I was so scared to use any company. These guys had an opening that aligned with my moving needs and the professionalism, swiftness and respect for belongings was unmatched. I will never move with anyone else as long as I stay in their catchment area!!”
“Moving ranks high on the list of life’s most stressful events. A company who can reduce that stress to its lowest levels merits your business. This was our second move with First Rate, and once again **** and his crew came through. He provided clear and timely feedback and was true to his word. His packing crew was punctual and efficient, as was the moving crew. First Rate ensured a smooth, hassle-free move. Highly recommended.”
“First Rate Movers moved me to a new apartment very recently. **** made the planning go smoothly by providing information regarding available dates, informing me of what information they required, as well as useful information about packing for the move. The quote and actual price were quite close. On moving day the crew, **** ******* *** **** arrived right on time. They were quick, well organized, careful with belongings and very willing to readjust placement of furniture. Throughout they were calm, patient, friendly, and helpful. Thank you for making what has been a very stressful time easier.”
“The team at First Rate Movers was awesome! From the moment I reached out to **** at First Rate for information and a quote, I got a quick response and all the information I could have ever needed. We had so many boxes and the layout of our home made it horrible to move, but the First Rate Movers guys were professional, funny, really nice and seemed really happy to be doing the work they were doing. The team treated our furniture with care and diligently packed and unpacked the truck. They were very receptive to guidance and constantly asked where I wanted things placed in the new house.”
“We had such a great experience using First Rate Movers for our move and I would definitely recommend them. From the start, communication with **** to get the quote and book the date was easy and clear. Our moving crew were ***, **** and **** and they were super efficient, professional and friendly. They arrived on time, protected everything well and were done faster than expected. We had a lot of big and awkward furniture to move out of a small townhouse and they moved it all with no issues.”
“The movers arrived on time and began work immediately. Very friendly and efficient workers. All my furniture and items of concern to me were wrapped thoroughly, everything arrived at my new address without any damage.”
“It is easy to see why this company is called “First Rate” Movers, and why they have an A+ rating with The Better Business Bureau. From the initial call with the owner to the completion of our move, we were extremely pleased. They actually made moving an enjoyable experience . It reduced our stress, when we saw how professional and efficient the movers were, in padding and wrapping everything to prevent any damage. The team were also polite and pleasant in answering any questions or concerns we had. It’s a pleasure to recommend this company.”
“We hired First Rate based on client testimonials. As it turns out, you’re all right about how good First Rate is! This was not a small move with more than 300 boxes, and they got the work done in 2 days (one regular day, the second day they worked longer), without damaging anything. We had scheduled 3 days so we were really pleased to see the work done in 2 days. Saved us money. We definitely recommend First Rate to anyone who’s looking for a smooth move!”
“The crew that did my move was courteous, professional. Although working on a hourly rate, they hustled and yet were meticulous and ensured that everything was wrapped up properly and loaded without damaged to the house or the furniture. I have done numerous moves and this was by far the best one I had.”
“Matt solved that problem and we were off to an excellent start. The team was friendly, efficient and careful with our belongings. We moved on a rainy day but nothing got wet and there was no damage or lost items.”
“First Rate Movers already moved me 4 times within Ottawa area. They are my preferred moving Company and every time everything was moved to my new home in impeccable state. Nothing lost or broken. Since they know what they are doing and are very efficient you end up saving money. I highly recommend them with no reservation.”
“I used them before when I bought my first place 10 years ago. Happy to see the quality of service was just as excellent as it was back then. They were fast and even faced with several obstacles (sectional couch that was built inside my old place) they managed to have all the tools are care to get the job done without any damage to the property.”
Whether moving locally or to/from Ottawa within Ontario, you can count on First Rate Movers. Let us know how we can help. We’ll be in touch ASAP.
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